SAINTS 3 PENNYBONT UNITED 0
Apologies for the delay in this update on the firsts last game.
Saturday 1st Nov the Saints travelled to Pennybont to take on their ‘first’ team United.Top scorer Kev Jones was unable to play at first team level for this game which gave Johnny Daw only his second start of the season and the chance to impress. As is usually the case Pennybont set out with a resolute committment to play good honest football. Indeed during the opening 10 minutes they carved a number of chances which had to be saved, sometimes with his feet, by Ian Jones, making sure that the recovering Bryan Kirkham will have a lot of work to do to regain the number 1 position.
The Saints settled into their more familiar stride and passed their way around the field impressively. This excellent passage of play culminated in Phil Davies finding Ben Bevan on the left, he drove on and whipped in a cross which the energetic Snedden smashed in accross the outstreched keepers body. it was Snedden who then gave width on the right crossing for johnny Daw to collect with his back to goal and crack the ball into the roof of the net from 6 yards out.
Half time 2-0
After the break the Saints were expecting the bont to come back at them and indeed they did not dissapoint, but they were ready and absorbed the early pressure as before. Midway through the second half, saints striker Josh Wis slotted a perfectly weighted throughball for Ben Bevan to run onto and bury it accroos the keeper into the bottom corner.
The game was competitive throughout and there were good performances all over the pitch Ian Jones who kept us in it, Josh Wis and his workrate and passing, but arguably, the man of the match was Rob Snedden who for me played much more like his usual self having, in truth, had a couple of bad weeks. It was great to see him back on form and to see the lads dig in, play some good passing football and come away with the 3 points and a clean sheet. Well done lads but remember do not get complacent one game at a time and now we need to concentrate on going one better than last year in the CWFA Challenge Cup. We have got FC Phoenix from the ceredigion League Second Division so are an unknown quantity. Keep the attitude and commitment boys!!
Team: Ian Jones Josh Davies Mike Havard Chris Preece (C) Phil Davies Ben Bevan Sam McLaughlin (55mins) Sam Powell Rob Snedden Johnny Daw Josh Wisniewski Joe McLaughlin(Sub for brother Sam)